FREE WEBINAR STARTING TODAY! “Awakening the Parent: Are You Supporting or Sabotaging Your Client’s Transformation?” by Britta Bushnell, PhD from Gold

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free

***Editor’s Note: This will be the last FREEBIE post in this format. Moving forward, each freebie post will contain several different freebies – ranging from webinars, research, podcasts, classes, trainings, CERPs and private practice tips to free breastfeeding artwork, client-friendly articles, handouts, lactation resources and last but not least, tips and tricks for lactation professionals. This is not an exhaustive list, just a bit of what’s coming up!

GOLD Birth & Beyond 2020 is a brand new online conference coming up soon from our friends at GOLD Learning! This event is perfect for healthcare professionals working with families throughout the perinatal and postpartum periods. This new online conference from Gold runs from October 5 to November 30 – complete with 12 internationally renowned speakers. Presentations cover topics including disparities in care among women with disabilities, parenting the high-needs baby, perinatal mental health, and much more.

I know you’re probably asking yourself, “Where the heck is my FREEBIE?” Well, to kick off Gold’s new conference on October 5 (that’s today!), Britta Bushnell, PhD will be sharing her Opening Keynote presentation “Awakening the Parent: Are You Supporting or Sabotaging Your Client’s Transformation?”

Britta Bushnell, PhD

This presentation offers an opportunity to reexamine the way we approach teaching new parents. Dr. Bushnell will highlight how we might unknowingly reinforce the mindset that experts hold the knowledge that parents need. She’ll share ways that we can instead support parents to grow into a position of being autonomous and self-guided, with a sense of inner authority. You won’t want to miss this chance to hear these insights and to gain some new tools!

This is a free event so be sure to register and access all the info! The presentation will be shared live two times (yup, you read that right, TWO times: 1600 UTC and then again at 2300 UTC). If you missed the live versions, don’t fret. As long as you register to reserve your seat, you will have full FREE access until October 30, 2020. You can reserve your free seat and read about all of the details here.

***Disclaimer: Only those registered for the entire GOLD Birth & Beyond 2020 Online Conference will receive CERPS. CERPS are not available if you are just registering and attending the free webinar, however, you will obtain a Certificate of Completion after finishing the webinar.

Do you have an idea for FREEBIE FRIDAY? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, NGO, etc. and have a FREE opportunity or item to offer to Galactablog readers, please drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration.

You can contact me here or email me at: galactablog@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Tamara Brand 
MA, MPH, IBCLC
Galactablog Founder

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FREE Webinar: “COVID-19, Delivery & The Newborn,” from Gold Learning

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Freebie Alert

It’s Day #4 of a FREE FREEBIE! It’s timely, relevant and in these times, shedding light on a topic that everyone desperately wants (and needs) more information on.

Gold Learning is offering FREE access to their webinar titled, “COVID-19, Delivery and the Newborn,” by Michael Narvey, MD, FRCPC, FAAP where he discusses how to stay on top of current best practices when it comes to caring for newborns during the COVID-19 global pandemic with newborns.

 

In his presentation, Dr. Narvey delves into the practical issues around
planning for delivery and the concerns with interruption of processes such as kangaroo care, breastfeeding, and visiting. This presentation reviews current knowledge as well as the unknowns. Definitely not one to miss!

Fortunately, there’s still time to register. This webinar broadcasts live tomorrow, May 12, 2020 at 8pm UTC / 4pm EST / 1pm PST. In addition to joining the live event, you will also have 4 weeks of free access to the recording. For more information and registration details, see here.

For those that are interested in learning more about topics related to birthing and breastfeeding, Gold Learning is currently offering 2 online conferences and there’s still time to register.

do you have an idea for a freebie please shareDo you have an idea for Galactablog’s FREEBIE Week? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, clinic, hospital, non-profit, non-governmental organization, etc. and have a FREE opportunity, resource or item that you’d love offer to Galactablog readers, drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration. You can contact me here or email me at galactablog@gmail.com. 

Cheers, Tamara xx

Freebie Week Day #3: Freebies for those in HELPING PROFESSIONS including a webinar, a 15-hour training program & 3 short training courses

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who doesn't love free stuff

center for adolescent studies CASWell, it’s day #3 of FREEBIES! Today is your lucky day because again, there’s a few different freebies offered including a webinar (pre-registration ends today!), 3 short online self-paced courses and a 15-hour training program for those in helping professions – all for free. So keep scrolling down to learn about each free opportunity – all offered by the Center for Adolescent Studies.

Author’s Note & Disclosure: All of today’s freebies are from the Center of Adolescent Studies (CAS). I am in no way affiliated with CAS. I am disseminating CAS’s free offerings because I believe that lactation specialists and those aspiring-to-be ARE in the helping profession and WE can benefit from what CAS has to offer. While these offerings are not directly related to lactation per say, the subjects these freebies delve into including but not limited to –  mindfulness, compassion, providing trauma-informed care, counseling skills, working with teens and vulnerable populations and the importance of self-care are vital skills that will only make us better, stronger, more compassionate, knowledgeable and resilient lactation specialists (and those aspiring-to-be).  So let’s get to it!

sam himelstein

Sam Himelstein, Ph.D. & Licensed Psychologist

To the best of my knowledge, all courses, webinars and training programs are taught by Sam Himelstein, Ph.D. & Licensed Psychologist.

First up, CAS is broadcasting a free webinar titled, “Compassion as a Resilience Tool for Helping Professionals in Trying Times.” Last day to pre-register is TODAY – Thursday, May 7, 2020! So if you’re interested, hurry up and register here. It goes live tomorrow, Friday, May 8, 2020 at 10:30AM PST (USA & Canada). If you miss the live version, don’t sweat it, as long as you’re registered, a replay will be sent out to you.

Second up, a free 15-hour completely online and self-paced course titled, “Resilience and Self-Care Basics for Helping Professionals.” For more details and to register, see here.

And last but not least, 3 more FREE completely online and self-paced courses. Just click the hyperlinked title for more information and to register.

***Disclaimer: Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are offered for the free online courses, training programs and webinars offered from the Center for Adolescent Studies (CAS). However, as of the date of this post, they are NOT lactation-related CERPs, instead they are CEUs for psychologists, social workers and other types of healthcare professionals. You can read more about the CE details here. I am in no way affiliated with the CAS, so any questions or concerns, please contact them directly.

do you have an idea for a freebie please shareDo you have an idea for Galactablog’s FREEBIE Week? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, clinic, hospital, non-profit, non-governmental organization, etc. and have a FREE opportunity, resource or item that you’d love offer to Galactablog readers, drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration. You can contact me here or email me at galactablog@gmail.com. 

Cheers, Tamara xx

 

Lots of Breastfeeding Freebies Today Brought to You by Cindy & Jana! A COVID-19 Infographic, an Ebook for your Clients & 2 Online Birth & Breastfeeding Classes

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freebies freebie friday

Whew! That title is a mouth full. So many wonderful FREEBIES today courtesy of Cindy Leclerc, RN IBCLC and Jana Stockham, RN IBCLC (also known as Cindy and Jana). I’m not even sure where to start!

Since we’re still living (and many still in lockdown) in the COVID-19 era, it makes sense to start with the most pressing freebie first. Cindy and Jana have made a fantastic yet simple infographic that answers the most common breastfeeding and COVID-19 answers your clients may be asking you. You can download it for free here.

Infographic Created By Cindy & Jana (2020)

Feel free to print, share and distribute widely, just make sure you give proper credit where it’s due and don’t make any alterations without explicit permission from Cindy and Jana.

5 crucial ways to preparing for breastfeeding nowNext up, how about grabbing a free Ebook written by Cindy and Jana while you’re already here. It’s titled, “5 Crucial Ways to Prepare for Breastfeeding Now.” It’s a helpful book for both new and expecting parents and for some, could be an invaluable tool. We all know that for our clients, it’s never too early to start learning about breastfeeding – wherever they are in their journey. So why not share it with them?

Last but not least, Cindy and Jana have made not 1 but 2 of their online courses FREE! That’s right, both are absolutely free (for a limited time).  The first is, “Healing & Recovery from Birth: Avoiding Infection, Complications & Pain,” and the second  is a 3 part mini-series titled, “Getting Ready to Breastfeeding: What women wished they had known ahead of time.” Just click on the name of the course you’re interested in (or both of them), enroll and you’re all set to go!

When I was first discussing Cindy and Jana’s online birth and breastfeeding courses with them, the first question that popped into my mind was, “Why are they making these courses free? And why now?” They passionately explained their reasoning and why particularly, at this time:

We have seen firsthand how health care provider contact is now limited and we want to help. During this difficult time, there is more need than ever for research-based information for new and expectant moms. We are trying our best to keep up with the need and are pleased to now offer the following resources for FREE. We want to make sure no new mother misses the information she will need.

~Cindy and Jana

Cindy and Jana headshot

Cindy Leclerc, RN IBCLC & Jana Stockham, RN IBCLC

Want to get to know more about  Cindy and Jana? It’s pretty hard not to find them, they are available on almost every single social media platform there is. Don’t be shy – reach out to them, introduce yourself, say hello and if you so desire, thank them for their generous freebies.

Do you have an idea for Galactablog’s FREEBIE Week? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, clinic, hospital, non-profit, non-governmental organization, etc. and have a FREE opportunity, resource or item that you’d love offer to Galactablog readers, drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration. You can contact me here or email me at galactablog@gmail.com. 

Cheers, Tamara xx

***Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Cindy and Jana. This means, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to sign-up for one of Cindy and Jana’s paid online courses (using my affiliate link), then I am financially compensated. I receive no financial compensation from any of the free resources Cindy and Jana generously provide.

FREE Vintage ‘Eat at Mom’s’ Poster from Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC, FAPA

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Galactablog has some exciting news! Each day this week (and maybe next week too if I have the energy and enough material), a new FREEBIE will be offered to Galactablog’s readers daily. Life has been difficult enough lately. My goal is to give you something to look forward to when you wake up in the morning (or when you go to bed at night depending on where in the world you are) that’s absolutely free and lactation-related – no strings attached.


So what’s up for today? Well, I’m a sucker for art. Any art. But what really grabs my heart is breastfeeding art. Does anyone else here feel the same way? So when my hear colleague Christine Staricka, IBCLC shared this charming vintage-style ‘Eat at Mom’s: Open 24 hours’ with me and I found out it was FREE, I literally had to stop myself from jumping up and down with joy! Yes, I’m that passionate about breastfeeding and art and when it’s combined, my heart swoons.

This vintage poster was created by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC, FPA and available through Praeclarus Press – a website you should definitely check out because it’s full of articles, webinars, books for both parents and professionals and so much more – including more FREE printable breastfeeding-related posters and graphics here and more free resources here.

All free posters and free resources are completely yours to keep, print, share publicly, and distribute however you like, royalty-free. Just ensure you respect Dr. Kendall-Tackett’s copyright and do not alter without her explicit permission. You know the rules – give credit when credit is due and respect each other’s work.

So if you’re just dying to get your hands on this vintage-style poster, all you have to do is to click here to download. Now you have some pretty cool artwork for your office or home, without having to leave your house or empty your wallet.

Created by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC, FAPA ~ Praeclarus Press

If you’d like to learn more about Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC, FAPA, you can read more about her here. Not only is she a renowned speaker, author of several articles and books and videos, podcasts and webinars, but she’s also the founder of Praeclarus Press. You can also find her on Facebook and Linked-In.

Do you have an idea for Galactablog’s FREEBIE Week? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, clinic, hospital, non-profit, non-governmental organization, etc. and have a FREE opportunity or item that you’d love offer to Galactablog readers, please drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration.

You can contact me here or email me at galactablog@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Tamara xx

FREEBIE FRIDAY: “Breastfeeding With Ease: The Impact of Infant Reflex Emergence and Integration” by Bryna Sampey, IBCLC from Gold Lactation

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Freebie Friday gold lactation

It’s that GOLDEN time again! GOLD Lactation’s 2020 online conference is kicking off on March 30, 2020 with a FREE Opening Keynote webinar. The esteemed Bryna Sampey, IBCLC will be presenting, “Breastfeeding With Ease: The Impact of Infant Reflex Emergence and Integration” live.

Bryna Sampey IBCLC

If you can’t make the live presentation, don’t fret. A recording will also be available to those who register and you’ll be given 4 weeks of free access. Hurry up and reserve your free seat here to access the live event and the recording.

If you just can’t get enough of anything lactation-related or are a health professional who would like to hone their lactation knowledge and skills (or you just need to grab a few CERPs), then check out Gold Lactation’s 2020 Online conference.

The full conference includes 32.5 hours of accredited education, with presentations covering a wide variety of key topics in lactation. Delegates will have full access to the conference from March 30 – June 29, 2020.

If that’s not enough to keep you busy while self-isolating and/or working from home, Gold also has 2 add-on lectures packs which include presentations that take a close look at complex medical issues in breastfeeding parents and infants. Delegates can also access brand new interactive sessions, giving them extended opportunities to tap into the knowledge and expertise of GOLD Speakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru6SWI75_EM#action=share

Enjoy this golden opportunity and happy learning! xx

Do you have an idea for FREEBIE FRIDAY? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, NGO, etc. and have a FREE opportunity or item to offer to Galactablog readers, please drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration.

You can contact me here or email me at: galactablog@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers,
Tamara xx

Freebie Friday: 1 FREE L-CERP From Gold Lactation: “Promoting Self-Management of Breast & Nipple Pain During Breastfeeding” by Dr. Ruth Lucas

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Freebie Friday

Looking for a FREE CERP for IBCLC certification or recertification? Or just looking to expand your lactation knowledge base? Well, either way, we’ve got you covered thanks to Gold Lactation.

Wondering what this presentation is all about? Dr. Ruth Lucas PhD, RLC, CLS will be speaking on: “Promoting Self-Management of Breast and Nipple Pain During Breastfeeding.” So mark your calendars for Monday, September 9, 2019. You can reserve your FREE seat here.  Sign-up is free and you’ll be given free viewing access for 4 weeks.

Thanks for the freebie Gold Lactation!

Do you have an idea for FREEBIE FRIDAY? Don’t be shy! Please do share – I promise to give you full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, NGO, etc. and have a FREE opportunity or item to offer to Galactablog readers, please drop me a line. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration.

You can contact me here or email me at: galactablog@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Lactation Program Review: Lactation Education Resources (LER) Lactation Consultant Training Program & Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate

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Lactation Program Review: 

Lactation Education Resources‘ (LER)

Lactation Consultant Training Program

with ‘ Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ Certificate (CBS)

Reviewer: Bridget Whiteley-Ross, RN, CBS

Submitted July 9, 2019
Published Sept. 1, 2019

Year enrolled in Program: 2018

How long did it take you to complete the program? 1 year

Certification or Certificate Offered – ‘Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ (CBS) certificate. See here for a detailed course syllabus.

Name of Instructor(s) – Vergie Hughes, MS, RN, IBCLC, FILCA and many others. Editor’s Note: See here – pg. 4 for complete list of LER Faculty Members.

Delivery of Program – Online delivery for 90 hours of lactation education 

Books & Materials Required – Breastfeeding and Human Lactation 5th Edition. Editor’s Note: LER recommends these books for its courses.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $900+ USD

See here for listings and cost of various lactation training programs offered by LER.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 90 L-CERPs, 90 Nursing Contact Hours and 90 CPE Level II.

Editor’s Note: If you don’t need all 90 hours, LER also has an option that offers 45 L-CERP’s, 45 Nursing Contact Hours and 45 CPE’s. See here for more details and pricing.

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, it meets the full 90 hour IBCLC lactation education requirement.

What did you like about the program?

It had many highly qualified IBCLC instructors, covering a wide and thorough topic range on lactation and breastfeeding.

What did you dislike about the program?  

Some instructors style preferred more than others but all were very informative.

What would you change about the program? 

Lengthy but probably necessary.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program? 

A few hours a day will help certify you within several months.

Did you feel this particular program used current, evidence-based resources and training materials? Yes.

Do you feel the program was clear in the scope of practice in which you’re allowed to practice? Yes.

Was there clear delineation between this program’s scope of practice and that of an IBCLC? Yes.

Did the program discuss when and how to refer to an IBCLC if necessary? Yes.

Would you recommend this program to others?  Yes, I would.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again?

I would definitely take this program again

Do you feel the course and/or certification helped you obtain your goals?  It gave me a solid start toward IBCLC pathway.

Are you currently an IBCLC? Not yet, working on pathway 1 or 3, trying to figure best Pathway for my schedule.

Are you currently working in the lactation field? If yes, feel free to expand on your position. If no, feel free to describe what type of work you’re doing, if you’d like to be in the lactation field and what you feel are the barriers stopping you.

I’m a registered nurse who worked NICU for years and stopped working but kept an active license. I took a break to raise a family and exclusively breasted my four children, for over eight years, total. I had some issues breastfeeding that i was able to work through successfully and I’m an avid supporter of breastfeeding! I’m currently looking for a way to achieve the hours required to take the IBCLC and i’m finding this to be a bit tricky.

Does this particular program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify?

The ‘Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ credential obtained from LER is valid for 5 years.

Any additional comments you’d like to add?

This course was excellent and addressed issues that increased my knowledge base greatly.

Would you like to write a review of a Lactation Training Program that you’ve taken? If so, don’t be shy! You can access the review form directly from Galactablog. Or online via Google Forms here.

See here for more information on LER’s lactation training programs, along with a comparison of similar lactation training programs.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the reviewer and do not reflect those of Galactablog. In order to remain objective and unbiased, Galactablog does not endorse or associate with any particular Lactation Training program. It is the reader’s responsibility to confirm program details (cost, dates, # of hours offered, program requirements, etc.) with the program itself as details can change once this post is published.

It’s also important to note that these views are not the only source of information about this particular lactation training program. See here for more program details in addition to a comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.

Freebie Friday: Free Presentation, “Does Breastfeeding Protect Maternal Mental Health? The Role of Oxytocin & Stress” by Kathleen Kendall-Tackett from Gold Lactation

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Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
PhD, IBCLC, FAPA

Gold Lactation is back with another freebie! This time it’s a free keynote presentation marking the beginning of its 2019 Gold Lactation Online Conference.

This year, the title of the Gold’s keynote presentation is:
“Does Breastfeeding Protect Maternal Mental Health? The Role of Oxytocin & Stress” by the esteemed Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC, FAPA.

Best of all, this presentation is FREE! You can access the recording until April 19, 2019 (or until June 3, 2019 if you’re registered for Gold’s Conference). Sign up here for instant access to Kathleen’s talk.

FYI: CERPS are ONLY provided if you’re registered for Gold’s full 2019 Lactation Conference. If you’re not, you still have access to this FREE keynote presentation and will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance at no cost.

Do you have an idea for FREEBIE FRIDAY? Don’t be shy! Share it with Galactablog – you’ll be given full credit. If you’re a company, private practice, NGO, etc. and have a FREE opportunity or item to offer Galactablog readers, let us know. As long as you are WHO Code Compliant, you’ll be given full consideration.

You can contact us here or at galactablog@gmail.com

Tuesday’s Tips: Helpful Counseling Tips for Medications, Herbs & Galactagogues from Dr. Frank Nice

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As a lactation specialist or one aspiring-to-be, you may find yourself getting asked questions regarding the safety of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by your breastfeeding clients. Or maybe it’s not medications, but the safety of herbs or the use of Galactagogues.

As lactation professionals (and those aspiring to be), it’s essential we stay within the scope of our training and certification. Diagnosing and prescribing prescription and OTC medications, herbs and galactagogues are outside the scope of practice for IBCLCs (and other lactation specialists) – unless of course, you’re also a licensed health care provider who has the ability to diagnose and prescribe medication. What we CAN do as lactation specialists is to counsel our breastfeeding clients and provide them with evidence-based resources so that they can make an informed decision that is best for themselves and their family.

In the Middle East where I used to live and practice, it was not common practice to question your physician’s recommendations, ask questions, or even to begin an open dialogue about potential alternatives, risks and benefits, etc. To question your doctor was a big no-no and it was something that just wasn’t done.

But because my client’s (and their infant’s) health and well-being come first, I encouraged every single one to bring every single evidence-based resources to their health care provider – to ask questions, demand answers and to begin an open dialogue. Yes, I admit I probably committed a few cultural faux pas, but it was worth it.

I found this not only enabled those I worked with to make informed decisions that worked best for them and their families, but it EMPOWERED them as well. The cherry on top was that it also educated health care professionals on lactation issues, which was often desperately lacking. Due to this approach, I was able to establish working relationships with local health care providers and to network. It was a win-win.

Dr. Frank Nice, RPh, DPA, CPHP

You may be wondering where to start when counseling your breastfeeding families on prescription and OTC drugs, herbs and galactagogues. How do you go about it? What approach would you take? What questions should you be asking and answering? Well, thanks for Dr. Frank Nice over at Nice Breastfeeding, he’s got all of this covered.

He has shared a wealth of information in order to help you help your breastfeeding families. Best of all, it’s all FREE and immediately accessble – just click here for practical, relevant counseling tips that you can begin applying with soon as the situation arises.

This link is divided into 3 sections: 1) About Mom, 2) About Baby, 3) Useful PDFs (on several topics including but not limited to Domperidone, Galactalogues and Herbs, and Recreational Drugs). These are free, downloadable and are perfect resources to share with your breastfeeding families.

And don’t forget to encourage your clients to share these handouts with their health care providers – not only will this create an open dialogue of how to best approach their situation and meet their needs, but it will also help to educate health care providers as well.

There is also a helpful ‘Patient Resources’ section with  Useful Links that you can share with your expecting and breastfeeding clients. Again, these are free!

Dr. Frank Nice, RPh, DPA, CPHP,  founder of Nice Breastfeeding, has over 40+ experience specializing in medications and  breastfeeding. He has also authored 2 books: Nonprescription Drugs for the Breastfeeding Mother, 2nd Edition (2011) and The Galactogogue Recipe Book (2017).